Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has urged Sri Lanka not to get carried away by their victory over England as the two teams prepare for the ODI series decider at The Oval on Sunday.
Sri Lanka defeated England by 16 runs in the second ODI, with captain Kusal Mendis producing a match-winning 121 off 100 balls as the visitors levelled the series 1-1.
Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Sangakkara said Sri Lanka should take confidence from the victory but must approach the deciding match as a completely new contest.
“I think they’ve got to take a breather after this, really recoup to understand where they sit still in terms of their skill and their execution,” Sangakkara said.
He warned that Sri Lanka could get “a little bit carried away with the win” and approach the decider as though it were simply a continuation of the second ODI.
“No, it’s a new pitch, it’s a new day and they’ve got to restart,” he said.
However, Sangakkara said there were several aspects of Sri Lanka’s approach that should not change.
“The one thing they don’t have to change, and they must not change, is that intent, that belief, that competitiveness,” he said.
Sangakkara added that Sri Lanka have the ability to compete with leading international sides if they build partnerships with the bat, execute intelligently with the ball and stick to the basics.
He also described Jos Buttler’s hamstring injury during England’s run chase as a “very, very pivotal moment,” saying it brought Sri Lanka back into the contest at a stage when Buttler was changing the tempo of the innings in England’s favour.
The three-match ODI series is level at 1-1, with the deciding match scheduled to be played at The Oval on Sunday. (Newswire)
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